This invention relates to a SPHERICAL ROLLING HULL MARINE VESSEL and more particularly to vessels for moving cargo and passengers over water.
Marine vessels are generally classified as commercial, naval and recreational. Commercial and naval vessels are usually large by necessity and when moving they are retarded by energy consuming drag forces. As the depth of the draft increases, this resistance becomes greater and limits the vessel's practical speed.
Recreational vessels however, usually have a low drag profile and as a result high speeds are possible. However, generally they do not have the capacity to carry large loads of cargo or passengers and this limits their practical use. Marine vessels which have a revolving supporting surface and low drag profiles when travelling have been shown by the prior art and particularly by applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,345. However, these vessels have had limited capability for loading, unloading, and storage of cargo. Although these vessels can obtain high speeds by travelling on rather than in the water, their value for quickly transporting cargo has been limited. And they have not been able to pick up or drop off cargo rapidly. No secondary seaworthy transportation system has been provided by the prior art vessels for saving passenger lives and cargo in the event of an emergency.